Is Inflation Kicking Off?

[giantbat]

I have discovered 13p bags of disposable razor blades and my discressionary spend is collapsing daily.

I am growing a beard. An economic terrorist by not consuming!

[200p]

Don't temp another Cypriot haircut by not spending or shaving.

[Doesn't Commute Anymore]

I am growing a beard. An economic terrorist by not consuming!

Inflation reaching the point where its worth renting somewhere with a garden to grow your own vegetables etc.

Good to see you over here, gb, still miss 50s site.

[justthisbloke]

Everyone wants to be a millionaire these days. Is it because of inflation? Or is it their outgoings are too high.

I am thinking over about the concept of the anti-millionaire.

If one could minimise the requirement of fiat money to live, either by buying everything you need for the next 10-20 years now, or by being independent (growing your own food), or by shunning what the big businesses want you to buy, you're nearly there. Inflation proof, and fiat money proof.

Isn't that the "Alpha Strategy"? I have the pdf somewhere - but I'm sure it's out there via google.

I operate a mini Alpha portfolio - as much as a hedge against being too lazy to go to the shops as anything else:

- full larder (very full, very big)

- full cupboards of other stuff (soap, toothpaste, razors (cheapest ownbrand) etc)

- spares and consumables for the house (bulbs, hardware etc)

- bicycle spares and consumables (including spare bicycles!)

- wood for fireplace (at least a couple of winter's worth) + a load of trees in the garden

- a lifetimes worth of tools (and spares)

- clothes (ie - when Debenhams were flogging off Craghopper gear dirt cheap, I loaded up).

- a pretty productive veg garden, fruit and nut trees.

My wife thinks I'm mental.

One day I might get round to adding decent water capture and storage - for the garden and, if I can fathom the plumbing, for the bog. A solar panel or two would be nice as well - but it'd have to be ground mounted as the houses is shaded by trees.

[goldbug9999]

My wife thinks I'm mental.

A rare woman of sound judgment.

[crashmonitor]

An economic terrorist by not consuming!

We are all becoming consumer terrorists in the wake of the fat clowns printing programme.

In theory savers should spend their money as they see Merv stealing from their accounts. However, savings are at record levels as savers try to make good Merv's theft by saving even more and the economy gets into stalemate flat-lining Japanese style.

Qe will prove counter-productive (as will Zero interest rates) and will not improve consumer confidence as their spending power is compromised through imported inflation, only put a smile on the faces of Merv's billionaire cronies.

Edited April 13, 2013 by crashmonitor

[200p]

Isn't that the "Alpha Strategy"? I have the pdf somewhere - but I'm sure it's out there via google.

I operate a mini Alpha portfolio - as much as a hedge against being too lazy to go to the shops as anything else:

- full larder (very full, very big)

- full cupboards of other stuff (soap, toothpaste, razors (cheapest ownbrand) etc)

- spares and consumables for the house (bulbs, hardware etc)

- bicycle spares and consumables (including spare bicycles!)

- wood for fireplace (at least a couple of winter's worth) + a load of trees in the garden

- a lifetimes worth of tools (and spares)

- clothes (ie - when Debenhams were flogging off Craghopper gear dirt cheap, I loaded up).

- a pretty productive veg garden, fruit and nut trees.

My wife thinks I'm mental.

One day I might get round to adding decent water capture and storage - for the garden and, if I can fathom the plumbing, for the bog. A solar panel or two would be nice as well - but it'd have to be ground mounted as the houses is shaded by trees.

Yes alpha strategy by pugsley. You can get 2000 razor blades for about fifty quid - a lifetimes supply, as long as you know how to shave the old fashioned way.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Notanewmember2

[giantbat]

Inflation reaching the point where its worth renting somewhere with a garden to grow your own vegetables etc.

Good to see you over here, gb, still miss 50s site.

Yep, you too DCA. Something similar needs to be resurrected, especially in the face of how violent the market has become!

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Yes alpha strategy by pugsley. You can get 2000 razor blades for about fifty quid - a lifetimes supply, as long as you know how to shave the old fashioned way.

How do you deal with the "fairy" quantities when you're tied to only an AST?

[200p]

2000 razor blades doesn't take up a lot of room.

1x200 take up this much space:

30cm by 5cm.

And they make good barter, like cigarettes and alcohol. A good alternative to coin.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Notanewmember2

[Gigantic Purple Slug]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2308843/Who-shrank-pies-Bakery-giant-Greggs-slims-pasties-bacon-rolls-pushing-prices.html

[Supertop]

Isn't that the "Alpha Strategy"? I have the pdf somewhere - but I'm sure it's out there via google.

I operate a mini Alpha portfolio - as much as a hedge against being too lazy to go to the shops as anything else:

- full larder (very full, very big)

- full cupboards of other stuff (soap, toothpaste, razors (cheapest ownbrand) etc)

- spares and consumables for the house (bulbs, hardware etc)

- bicycle spares and consumables (including spare bicycles!)

- wood for fireplace (at least a couple of winter's worth) + a load of trees in the garden

- a lifetimes worth of tools (and spares)

- clothes (ie - when Debenhams were flogging off Craghopper gear dirt cheap, I loaded up).

- a pretty productive veg garden, fruit and nut trees.

My wife thinks I'm mental.

One day I might get round to adding decent water capture and storage - for the garden and, if I can fathom the plumbing, for the bog. A solar panel or two would be nice as well - but it'd have to be ground mounted as the houses is shaded by trees.

ditto

women just dont get the whole domesday thing - more interested in updating the kitchen or paying the GDP of the Congo for a week at Center parcs

[200p]

^we can cure the global obesity epidemic in one swift stroke by causing global hyperinflation. That will.save the NHS!

[Spoony]

That is of course if you have any wealth to preserve - seems like many these days, don't. Probably why there doesn't seem to be as much of a backlash against the inflationary policies that are being aggressively pursued by TPTB.

Working your nuts off for a decent number on the gross pay column which becomes next to nothing after paying tax and living expenses is a mugs game. Benefits are definitely a better option in that case but the system is unlikely to be able to be so generous for much longer so you could find yourself in a bad situation when things collapse.

If you can own your house with a decent garden outright (a big if for those living in London/SE) , and no other debt then you are in a cracking position come what may. Build up a reserve of food that will keep you alive even if you had no income whatsoever, see what you can grow in the garden to supplement it. Make sure your property is secure to guard against potential crime and unrest should the economy deteriorate.

Whilst the going is good, learn some useful skills in evening classes instead of going out on the booze so much. Use income from your job (with no debt to service and no rent to pay you get to keep everything after tax) to invest in aforementioned hard assets and maybe some shares in leading companies that produce essentials and you are set to deal with most eventualities. If the benefits system manages to endure then you are really laughing even if you lose your job.

Don't get caught sitting on large amounts of cash that may get inflated away (and which would disqualify you from benefits) - or sitting on a pile of debt that may become unserviceable.

Thats me sitting on cash. It was to buy a house with, by now they should have corrected. But due to government meddling they haven't. I will not buy a house with it now and throw in the towel, they will correct in 5 - 10 years time depending on policy. But I can't wait and watch my money being stolen by inflation/QE/0% base rates/FFL etc. The only thing I can think of now is to buy abroad in a place that has had the crash. But stay here while I still have a job. I also have a bolt hole if I lose my job. Good idea?

[gf3]

Thats me sitting on cash. It was to buy a house with, by now they should have corrected. But due to government meddling they haven't. I will not buy a house with it now and throw in the towel, they will correct in 5 - 10 years time depending on policy. But I can't wait and watch my money being stolen by inflation/QE/0% base rates/FFL etc. The only thing I can think of now is to buy abroad in a place that has had the crash. But stay here while I still have a job. I also have a bolt hole if I lose my job. Good idea?

About the worst idea I have heard of. Buy liquid asets yes but owning a house abroad that you have to fly out to would be more trouble than it is worth.

What happens if it is broken into and the local kids start playing in it?

A pipe bursts in the atic and water has been flowing through the house for a month?

A weekend comes up and you reallise you haven't been out to the house for six weeks so you end up traveling out to it just to make sure it's alright. Soon you will wish you had nether have bought it.

[Spoony]

About the worst idea I have heard of. Buy liquid asets yes but owning a house abroad that you have to fly out to would be more trouble than it is worth.

What happens if it is broken into and the local kids start playing in it?

A pipe bursts in the atic and water has been flowing through the house for a month?

A weekend comes up and you reallise you haven't been out to the house for six weeks so you end up traveling out to it just to make sure it's alright. Soon you will wish you had nether have bought it.

OK thanks for the thoughts. Cheapo flights Ryanair, Easyjet etc. Local kids: Well where I was thinking there won't be any local kids, it will be in the middle of nowhere, although with unemployment up I suppose break ins aren't impossible. A burst pipe wouldn't happen if it were somewhere hot. And surely travelling to check up on it is a common problem for those with 2nd homes for holidays. How do they cope with it?

[200p]

Argh those pesky paper manipulators of Gilletman Sachs! The paper price of Razors just keep crashing, but there isn't enough physical razor blades to cover those naked paper shorts. There is a definite disconnect between the ebay price I m seeing and the paper price on ShaveNicko.com Keep stacking them up, I say, when doomsday comes and hyperinflation arises, at least you can shave and they can't confiscate razors. Those naysayers keep saying you can't eat razors, well they're wrong! Nom Nom Nom.....

[winkie]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2308843/Who-shrank-pies-Bakery-giant-Greggs-slims-pasties-bacon-rolls-pushing-prices.html

Bakery defend the move, saying it's better on the waistline

...if that is the only argument they have as to why shrinking products.... therefore is it far better not to buy or eat them at all....staying both thinner and richer.

Edit to say: not to mention healthier.

Edited April 15, 2013 by winkie

[InlikeFlynn]

Bumping this today as the ONS releases the inflation figures later this morning, and commodity prices have taken a hammering over the past couple of days. Gold down 8% in a day and Brent crude under $100 a barrel for the first time since last May/June. Petrol prices are due a significant fall.

We may see some increase in inflation this month, but if these lower commdoity prices stick then inflation should fall back later in the year. Or not... my predictions for inflation are as bad as Mervyn King's.

[sossij]

Argh those pesky paper manipulators of Gilletman Sachs! The paper price of Razors just keep crashing, but there isn't enough physical razor blades to cover those naked paper shorts. There is a definite disconnect between the ebay price I m seeing and the paper price on ShaveNicko.com Keep stacking them up, I say, when doomsday comes and hyperinflation arises, at least you can shave and they can't confiscate razors. Those naysayers keep saying you can't eat razors, well they're wrong! Nom Nom Nom.....

Utterly fantastic!

[zugzwang]

Bumping this today as the ONS releases the inflation figures later this morning, and commodity prices have taken a hammering over the past couple of days. Gold down 8% in a day and Brent crude under $100 a barrel for the first time since last May/June. Petrol prices are due a significant fall.

We may see some increase in inflation this month, but if these lower commdoity prices stick then inflation should fall back later in the year. Or not... my predictions for inflation are as bad as Mervyn King's.

Mervo doesn't predict inflation, he looks through it as one might a pair of cataracts.

[okaycuckoo]

Argh those pesky paper manipulators of Gilletman Sachs! The paper price of Razors just keep crashing, but there isn't enough physical razor blades to cover those naked paper shorts. There is a definite disconnect between the ebay price I m seeing and the paper price on ShaveNicko.com Keep stacking them up, I say, when doomsday comes and hyperinflation arises, at least you can shave and they can't confiscate razors. Those naysayers keep saying you can't eat razors, well they're wrong! Nom Nom Nom.....

Plus all the women would flock to your house to buy the blades.

Not sure of their reaction when the door opens and you're stood there in your stained undies and tinfoil hat, blood dripping from your mouth.

[R K]

[/url]

Markit Economics ‏@MarkitEconomics ONS - biggest upward contribution to CPI from books, newspapers and stationery; main downward pressure from furniture, motor fuel and meat.

Use the library (if Cameron hasn't shut it), cancel your subs to Daily Hate/Torygraph, stop sending birthday cards and go for a blast in your V8 before flopping down on your new sofa for a slab of filet steak.

Sorted.

https://twitter.com/MarkitEconomics' rel="external nofollow">

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Use the library (if Cameron hasn't shut it), cancel your subs to Daily Hate/Torygraph, stop sending birthday cards and go for a blast in your V8 before flopping down on your new sofa for a slab of filet steak.

Sorted.

Buy a book on speed reading and it'll be the last book you ever buy.

Speed reading + Amazon + Distance Selling Regs = free books for life

That's my Viz money saving tip of the day.

Its not like i need to tell people how to save money on stationery.

[JaneTracy]

The real problem with inflation comes when you compare it with wage rises as is illustrated below.

Real Wages continue to fall

We know that wage growth in the UK has been weak and if anything is slowing.

Average weekly earnings excluding bonus payments rose by 1.2%

We will get a new update on those levels tomorrow but as we stand they are falling at an annual rate of 1.6% using the official inflation measure and 2.1% using RPI. Tucked in there is a major reason why the policies of Professor Miles have failed.

Of course we now know that this will happen going forwards. From the Department of Work and Pensions.

Working age benefits will increase by one percent this year, 2013/14, and then again in 2014/15 and in 2015/16

It is not my intention here to step into what is a politicised debate merely to point out that as far ahead as we can see this is yet another group whose income will be below the rate of inflation.

http://www.mindfulmoney.co.uk/wp/shaun-richards/the-falling-level-of-uk-real-wages-highlights-the-flaws-in-letting-inflation-run-persistently-above-target/

So we continue to get poorer....